1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to practice putting greens with variable contours and more particularly pertains to varying the contours of practice putting surfaces for improving a player's putting capabilities.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of practice putting greens is known in the prior art. More specifically, devices for practicing one's putting stroke heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of improving one's putting stroke is known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, the prior art discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,673 a golf putting green simulator including an enclosed support member having a defined configuration over which synthetic grass is extended to provide a putting surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,274 discloses a portable practice putting green having a putting surface band, a cup at one end of it, a square angle on the other end of it, and a rebound bar replaceably put on either side of the square angle or near the hole for rebounding golf balls.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,784 discloses a portable artificial putting green capable of being deployed over a variety of surfaces, so constructed as to take on the shape of the underlying surface on which it is placed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,127 discloses a selectively contourable putting green including an elongated platform having a rigid sub-base supporting a flexible resilient base, which in turn supports a flexible putting surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,280 discloses an adjustable putting green which includes an enclosure for receiving a foldable playing surface characterized by a flexible material resembling an artificial grass-like ground covering mounted on a folding support carried by a folding frame, which frame and support are extendible from the enclosure for playing purposes and foldable inside the enclosure for storage.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,145 discloses a golf putting assembly comprising a playing surface having a target hole, elevation means for adjusting the topography of the playing surface, and ball return means that elevate an entire section at the end of the playing surface nearest the target hole such than a incline is created, the including causing any balls thereon to move away from the incline.
In this respect, the practice putting greens with variable contours according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of varying the contours of practice putting surfaces for improving a player's capabilities.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved practice putting greens with variable contours which can be used for varying the contours of practice putting surfaces for improving a player's capabilities. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.